Topic: Need help with Levaquin & Tendon issues...anyone have experience?
Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
Thanks all,
I am on Day 4 of Levaquin. I was lying in bed yesterday working on my laptop, and think I strained my leg muscles. When I was done and stood up, I had pain, and have had it ever since.
I don't want to jump to the conclusion that I am having the dreaded side effects from the Levaquin, so would appreciate anyone's personal experiences.
Since that time, I have had pain in my left calf, feels like a pulled muscle. It is causing me to limp.
It hasn't gotten any better, but it hasn't really gotten any worse. If I move around more, it seems to loosen up a little.
I am also in LOTS of pain in my joints, knees, wrists, fingers, elbows, hips, and ankles. However I started double the bicillin dose on Friday, and think it might just be herxing. These are the joints that give me trouble, but usually not all at once like this.
I'd really appreciate your advice and experience. I do not want to overreact and chuck the Levaquin if I am herxing, or strained my calf muscle trying to work on the laptop while lying in bed. I was shuffling papers, and definitely could have strained my muscles.
I guess I'm wondering if you had the tendon side effects, how long before you felt them, did they get worse, what did they feel like, and how did you differentiate them from a herx or regular Lyme and company symptoms???
Thanks again for your advice. I'll also search here for previous posts.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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randibear
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Member # 11290
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ok, here's my take.
my doc gave me 750 mg of levaquin. i only lasted two weeks on it. the leg pain started about 4-5 days in and then seemed to lessen. however, after 2 weeks, i got up one morning and almost fell. my legs were so painful and cramped up i couldn't walk and they just got worse and worse.
my pain is in my calf and leg from behind the knee to just above the ankle.
i called my doc and he took me off it.
i'm afraid to try it again. i'm still having leg pain and knee pain.
hopefully it will go away.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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daystar1952
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Hello...I'm just wonderin....if Levaquin has so many side effects...why aren't riframprin or any other drugs used instead? Is Levaquin supposed to be the most effective I wonder?
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TerryK
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posted
I've been on Levaquin since the last week of Feb., 500 mg per day. I have a lot of overall pain anyway but my pain levels increased considerably and I seemed to have itching from it for awhile. My LLMD wanted me to stay on it if at all possible.
I had pain in one of my heels for awhile but it went away after a few days. Comes and goes sometimes now. I take as much magnesium malate as I can tolerate.
I called my doctor anytime I thought levaquin might be causing an alarming symptom, like with the heel pain.
I would urge you to call your doctor and let them know what is going on.
I found that my marks started to fade when I stopped taking quercetin. I can't say for sure but I think it was somehow not allowing levaquin to fully work. I also found another level of clearing when I started larix (helps with the immune system).
I still have the marks (rash) or whatever you want to call it (the long purplish, red streaks) but they are fading more over the months.
Best of luck to you Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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Levaquin for me did miracles. You just have to be carefull.
First of all in order to avoid tendon and cramp issues you MUST TAKE MAGNESIUM. Mag Tab SR from NICHE pharmaceuticals is the best IMO.
First time I did levaquin I was so sick with some kind of malnutrition that I had to do first 2 weeks on Magnesium twice a day and THEN add the levaquin.
At this time is when I learned how important magnesium is for us lymies.
I was told also when having tendon pains to stop the levaquin for 3 days or until the pain goes away and then go back on levaquin again. I only stopped 3 times.
I did 250 for 5 months in a row 2005 and then at the end of 2006 for 4 more months in a row but 500mgs.
Hope you can finnish succesfully this protocol.
Posts: 983 | From The sky | Registered: Feb 2005
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
So, overall, am I supposed to NOT exert my muscles. like exercise when I can, when on Levaquin?????
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Alv
Unregistered
posted
you should be careful ..I pulled my musle and rupture the tendon of m y left knee as I was painting the house and bending...
I should have not done that .When I repeated it for the second time I had no problems as I learned my lesson.I did not even carry anything.Do not evem think of running if you want to run again.
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Tracy9
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posted
Did you have pain already? You mean you have to be careful even if you aren't having any pain symptoms?
I dont' run, but I walk when I can. I also have lots and lots of stairs in my house and will go up them a lot if feeling okay.
I get that I should be careful now since I have pain, right? But if you have no pain, do you still have to not do anything strenuous? Should I refrain from even going on a walk with this left calf pain?
It is VERY hard to get up and down the stairs right now, hurts my left calf a lot, knees, ankles and hips these last two days.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Tracy9
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posted
Alv, You ruptured a tendon but then took Levaquin again after that?
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
I had MAJOR pain issues with levaquin. I was on it for about 3 weeks before I finally called my doctor and said what the heck is going on.
Knee pain that I used to have was back, I would wake up with numb arms, legs, and the idea of getting out of bed to go to the bathroom was daunting.
I started doxy which totally helped. Although it's really really tough on the stomach it definately helped the pain. It's takes a few days to get into your system, but you should ask your doctor about it.
I was only on it for about a month before my doctor pulled me off. It's by far one of the toughest meds I've taken. I think flagyl was the other toughest, but the pain was so terrible on levaquin.
Good luck and hang in there!!!
Linds
Posts: 484 | From Burlingame, Ca | Registered: Sep 2005
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I am on levaquin. 500mg 1x day. I started about June 9th. What I noticed right away that my legs felt heavy from the knee down.
Then July 10-13 I had alot of pain in my joints, Knees, ankle, wrist and hands and ebows and just felt awful. Now the pain is lessoning. Hex? I think so.
But in reading here may be I should call my Doc. Now yesterday the pain is gone and I feel stiff, very stiff. It is like my knees need oil. I take Mag. maltate 3000mg before bed. And my b-12 injection did help.
I think the levaquin killed bugs and now my body is trying to get rid of the dead stuff.(Toxins) I don't stop doing anything when I hex. I just take more breaks.
I have a farm so I can't stop. and I am afraid if I do I won't be able to start again. The tendon stuff scares me also.
I have been on abx for over 3 years and this is the first time on levaquin. I think my vision has cleared a little on this.
If I don't feel any positive effects I think I am going to ask Doc to put me on something else.
CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
I'm on Levaquin, 500 1x/day since April 25. Had lots of pain as you describe which cleared up around week 4. Take lots of magnesium throughout the day, maybe even magnesium shots?
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Tracy9
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posted
I am happy to report today the pain was a lot less. I even went outside and walked a mile.
I felt much better, most of the pain is minimal or gone. My fingers are still very stiff and feel really tight, but my calf pain is just about gone.
I am definitely having some dizziness, nausea, and balance issues, and am kinda crabby, but nothing I can't handle.
So I guess I'm sticking with it for now! BTW, he started me right off on 750 mg every morning, along with Prevacid twice a day.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Dawn in VA
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posted
Despite awesome results from levaquin, I had to stop it after only four days due to tendon prob's around my ankly and knee. I was on crutches for 3 weeks following. Blech.
Dr. S (in MD) says to load up up up on magnesium before taking levaquin. I can't remember, but perhaps his book has some dosage info about it.
-------------------- (The ole disclaimer: I'm not a doctor.) Posts: 1349 | From VA | Registered: Jul 2006
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Tracy9
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Member # 7521
posted
OH Dawn, that sounds awful....yikes. I actually am having lots of pain NOW in the backs of my ankles, since I walked one mile.
Argh. Does this mean I shouldn't walk at all while on Levaquin?? I hope this pain is gone by morning, it just started about an hour ago and I know this pain is in the "danger zone".
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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randibear
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i took the 750 per day for 14 days. about 5 days in i had some leg pain, then it went away. then about day 10 it really hit hard. i couldn't walk to the bathroom and my joints were killing me.
i asked my doc and he said it was my calves not my tendons and levaquin doesn't attack the large joints.
but i as too afraid to continue so he switched.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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I took Levaquin for 3 months and had no problems. I am a bit concerned though reading about the amount of people who had side effects. In my case i trusted my LLMD and that is why i agreed to take it but if you are unsure or are having troubling symtpoms i would err on the side of caution.
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Alv
Unregistered
posted
OK you should be careful to not ramp up.
Also yes I insisted when MY LLMD was afraid.It depends on the load and how long you had it.
My load was high everywhere.When you kill bart or MUCO or BLO than you have opened up the room for LYME as it is active( you know that once you lower something the other one increases).
My case after the introduction of levaquin and 2 andrographis ...I needed 6 andrographis.SO I killed some of that and My left knee was were I had more active bugs and my back and my foot so that is where I felt more pain.
NO magnesium for me thanks.REad my post.If you have just bart or BLO that is the question.I have both ( i still belive will soon confirm)
Stop walking.You should not strain your foot.Your body when you kill is in inflamed.you kill one bug the others take palce in the inflamation and imagine your finger that is bleeding and hurt.IF You touch SILK will hurt.YOu have a inflamation there from killing or replaced with another bug( you know they love inflamaed part)
We do not have one bug we have so many.Take HIGH DOSSAGES of WOBENZYME 10x2 or 10 x3 on empty stomack to reduce and eat up the inflamation .
I FELT FROM THE STAIRS and bruised my hips .TOOK WOBENZYME right away ( my DOCTOR was amazed ) .My wound was 5 inches wide BLACK .I was on levaquin beilive it or not.I learned my lession .from the first time.
So when you reduce one kind of bug the other takes place and you hurt.TAKE serrapeptase , WOBENZYMe and natokinase...so you wrok on biofilm , inflamation from killing ( too much toxins around) and lower bloot clots in the blood from fibrins and toxins around...from killing again.
And take higher dosages of LYme killers to not let lyme ( that is small enough ) to have a party .Bart suspreses LYME.YES.And once lyme is reduced lyme comes fully in your joints that is why you have crapms...and more stiff.
MAgnesium will create biofilms to help bart hide and open up the cyst of LYME that you just put them from DOXY .YOu do not want to have to much active bugs around as your body can not handle it.
That is my opinion as I am not a doctor but I have learned my lession thorugh trials and errors.
My error was that I did physical work while on LEVAQUIN first time and I sit over my left knee for 1 hrs while on levaquin and watched TV.
So be very careful as you are playing with a bomb but that has promisses...
It looks like people that have found that they have lyme before it came active have no problem with levaquin ( too much of coincidence that teh lyme is not active there while killing bart and blo).Only the one that are in sureal pain can not handle it.YES too many bugs are active and they take the place when the first bug is killed.
I will go back ...BUt never should you start at 750mg ....NO WAY...start very slowly ...you go at 750mg only when your level of BUGS is very low...I am talking about many kind of bugs here not just lyme.
Maybe 750 mg will be the last thing I will use as a last thing to do.I will go one day at that point .But I need to shutt the LYME up right now...as it looks that my ehrlihcia is there and mucplasma too.I already have tried 2 x 6weeks .With a break in between.
WIll go back there ....again.
So work and go back and increase and go back and kill more ( but detox and clean your inflamation ) and do not strain your body as it is very pressious.
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Tracy9
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Well I have been on 750 mg for about 6 days now. Today, after walking yesterday, the backs of my ankles are very, very stiff and sore. I hope I didn't bring on something bad.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Alv
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can you just lower the dosage to 250mg for the moment until it passes...?
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Tracy just stay home and walk slowly I was told to avoid most exercises.
When going down the stairs is when I experienced pain in my tendons.
Did you get the magnesium? This is the key to success.PLease take magnesium MAg Tab one of the best IMO.
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Tracy9
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I do take magnesium. I am glad you told me about the exercise, I just couldnt' seem to get clear on that one.
I double checked, I am 500mg not 750mg. Sorry for the error.
Today after walking one mile yesterday, I have pain in the backs of my ankles and knees, but it isn't too bad. It is definitely in the tendons though.
I will stick with this since it seems to have great results for people, but I am up and down the stairs all day when I feel okay. That is definitely the hardest part.
I hate to not exercise; not that I can much anyway, but whenever I am up to it I try to walk to do active housework.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Tracy9
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Well, I had to stop the Levaquin today. I have had increasing pain in the backs of my heels/ankles, like sharp shooting stabbing sensations. Also very achey and tight feeling.
It is very painful to go up and down stairs and to walk, especially when I first get up from sitting for a bit.
Anyone have this happen to them? How long until the symptoms subside? Am I still at risk for tendon rupture?
My doctor says he won't add anything new until these symptoms go away. Would love any other experiences or insights on what to expect here.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Tracy9
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Also lots of pain continues up into my left calf, but that isn't a tendon, but a muscle, right? So would that be related?
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Tracy9
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Member # 7521
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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randibear
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my doctor said it was my calves hurting and not tendons.
my hips and knees hurt also and he said it was not levaquin. he said it does not effect large joints.
but i was so afraid i asked to be taken off it.
i've been off 3 weeks now and i'm still hurting.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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Tracy9
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You know, I definitely have it in the backs of my ankles, but it continues up to the calves. It feels like the pain is all attached...I don't know.
But the backs of the ankles are bad enough I had to stop. Still having trouble with walking and especially stairs.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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